Leon Edward Panetta who is the current United States Secretary of Defence has arrived in New Zealand for a visit.
I am reminded of 2 Kings 20:12-18. I hope he has not been shown to much stuff.
The front matter of my latest book has the following warning.
This book is full of principles, but on their own, principles achieve nothing. Principles cannot heal the sick. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit heal the sick, so he is what we need. The only value of the principles outlined in this book is that they may help Christian elders who are walking in the Spirit to understand what he is doing and know how to cooperate with him as he advances the Kingdom of God and rings glory to Jesus.
Several years ago a friend with prophetic insight challenged me to speak to the rock of offence i Christchurch. I did not have a clue what this meant, despite searching the scriptures over several years. However, it all became clear when I heard a message by Bill Johnson about John the Baptist. I began to understand the problem of disappointment and offence.
Many Christians have sought healing for a long time without success. In some churches, these disappointed people have been prayed for over and over again, but nothing has happened. Most have a deep sense of disappointment and have given up all hope of being healed. Some have been hurt by accusations of lack of faith. This enormous backlog of hurt and disappointment with God has never been sorted.
When disappointment is frequent and unresolved, the disappointed people get offended at God. Offence produces unbelief, which shuts out the power of the Spirit. I now believe that offence at God is a major obstacle to the release of healing in the church.
This book is my attempt to speak to Rock of Offence in Christchurch.
New Zealand readers can obtain the book here.
The Corporation is only one method for organising for business. Limited liability laws have given the corporate model of organisation a huge advantage that has allowed it to dominate all others.
When limited liability laws disappear, we will need to find new and better ways for organising business. Cooperatives, trusts, and even contracting networks will become much more important. Christians should be at the forefront of this activity, because we should be experts on freedom and relationships.
The Chinese economy will soon be as big as the US economy. To make matters worse, America has a huge debt problem, much of it owed to China.
As the US becomes a second rate economic power, so it will no longer be able to use economic power to control the world. China is far more effective at using economic power to gain influence throughout the world.
This leaves the US dependent on military power to control the world. As the economic strength of the United States continues to decline, it will most likely become more aggressive in efforts to control the world using military force.
The implications are explained in this book.
A common view is that banks were not sufficiently regulated. The fact that contradicts this is that most banks were more highly capitalised and more liquid than the regulations required.
Jeffery Friedman and Wladimir Kraus argue in their book called Engineering the Financial Crisis: Systemic Risk and the Failure of Regulation that regulations intended to minimise risk actually encouraged perverse behaviour. By holding assets that regulators deemed to be safe, they could free up capital to fund the expansion of their operations.
A bank that bought bonds issued by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac could reduce its capital requirements by 60 percent, because these were deemed by regulators to be safe. The regulations created an incentive to securitise loans through these agencies, because it expanded its lending capacity. Time proved that regulators were wrong about the safety of these government-sponsored institutions.
This is an example of government regulation increasing instability by trying to make the situation better.
The conventional wisdom is that a major cause of the GFC was the large bonuses paid to bankers that created incentives for short-term profit taking. Many economists and politicians argue that bonuses need to be brought under control to reduce the risks to the banking system.
Jeffery Friedman and Wladimir Kraus argue against this view in their book called Engineering the Financial Crisis: Systemic Risk and the Failure of Regulation. They argue that most incentive compensation was paid in equity-based bonuses. These bonuses generally had a vesting period of three to five years, meaning the time horizon of the recipient was constantly moving out as they accumulated equity. By the end of the boom, few individuals had a larger stake in the banks than their own employees. In the aftermath, many bankers lost more than they had earned during the boom. This casts doubt on the idea that bankers knowingly took short-term risk to boost their bonuses.
This confirms the understanding I have gleaned from the biographies of several leading bankers. My impression is that they totally misjudged the risks they were taking on. They did not knowingly take on short-term risk to boost their bonuses. They thought that they had their risks under control. They unwisely went into profit opportunities that they mistakenly assumed were risk free.
The problem was banker foolishness, not deliberate risk taking.
Understanding the times is important, but not enough. God needs prophets who can explain to God’s people what they should be doing.
When a people or nation have forgotten God and are letting evil take hold in their midst to bring them to their senses. He can only do that if a remnant has prepared for the shaking by building strong relationships with each other. When the world system is shaken, they will be able to support each other through the troubled times. Because they do not depend on to world system for their peace and security, they will be able to minister to the rest of the world from a position of strength.
One reason that the Kingdom is losing ground in many western countries is that Christians have failed to prepare. God has had to hold back judgement in many places, because his people are so wrapped up in the world system, that any serious shaking would destroy them along with the world. Unfortunately, this has allowed evil to get a much stronger hold in many situations.
When evil penetrates deeper into society, the shaking needed to dislodge it has to be much more severe. Because Christians have been unwilling to pay the price of preparing for shaking, God will eventually have to bring even more severe judgment to break evil in the western world.
Complacency due to desire for comfort during pivotal seasons leads to even greater disturbance. Amos described this problem in a prophecy against complacency.You put off the day of disaster
When complacent Christians fail to prepare for the season the prophets are announcing, they put off disaster, but bring terror closer. If prophets warn of disaster, but do not tell their people how to prepare, they are setting them up for terror.
and bring near a reign of terror (Amos 6:3).
See preparing for Social Collapse.
At the end of the month, several prophets and leaders gathered for a Blue Moon Conference in Franklin TN. I do not get to attend this type of conference, because I live on the other side of the world, so I do not know how effective the meeting was in hearing and delivering God’s word.
Many of these prophetic leaders have been saying that America is moving into a time of many disasters. They have been saying that 2012 is the pivotal year in this shift. I am not sure, if they are right, but something important seems to be missing from their message. There is no sign that American Christians know how to prepare for this season.
The men of Issachar are a good model for the prophetic.
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do (1 Chron 12:32).They understood the times in which they were living. More important, they understood what the people should do to prepare for the times that were coming.
Spring has arrived in Christchurch.
This is the rhododendron that we brought with us when we moved to a different house in July. It seems to be very happy in its new place.
This camellia that came with it is beginning to flower too. I will have to keep the water up to them when it gets dry in the summer, but the move has been successful.
The bright colours of polyanthus are very cheerful.
The most important question about governance is not who is in control? A new world is coming. Will the leadership of your church be able to cope with everything that the future brings.
The New Testament church demonstrated that it could cope with all these challenges.
Well. That is more than enough on a topic that does not really exist. This full series can be found here.
A common teaching is that the ascension ministries are travelling consultants.
However the tasks described in the previous posts are basic stuff like building relationships and helping new Christians to grow. That is why they had to be of good character and proved themselves in running their households. Surely, these tasks have to be done by local leadership.
A travelling consultant cannot be effective in helping Christians grow in the Lord. City-wide leaders cannot teach difficult people to work together. A visiting prophet cannot teach people to get their lives in order. Only an elder with a close relationship can do these tasks. Equipping the saints for service must be done by elders who are local.
The problem is that many Christian leaders have gone into a regional or itinerant ministry and need a biblical justification for it. Rather than taking the plain meaning of Paul's letter, the word is twisted to fit their ministry. They look at their ministries, and assume that Ephesians 4 describes it, but if they read the passage carefully, they would see that it does not describe their ministry. A justification for non-local ministry just does not exist in Ephesians 4.
Elders should replicate their ministries in their disciples (i.e. produce clones of themselves). This is an extremely important principle. Every person who has developed in a ministry should be training up several people in that same ministry. In this way the ministries of the church will multiply. Multiplication of ministry is as important as multiplication of membership.
Potential evangelists will tend to be drawn to the evangelist. Potential prophets will be drawn to the prophet. Potential pastors will be drawn to the pastors. They will learn all that they can from them. Each elder in a church should be developing some people who have potential to develop into a similar ministry. They should be training someone to replace themselves, if they are called to leave. Jesus said that everyone who is fully trained is like his master (Luke 6:40).
One test of the quality of a church is what has happened to a person who became a Christian in the church three years earlier. Are they functioning in a ministry (Jesus disciples were)? If they are not, then the church is not functioning correctly. Is there a development path for the new Christian? Can they expect to be functioning in a ministry within three years? This should be normal. (People who come to Christianity with severe problems may take longer to grow to maturity, but they should be on the same path).
The ascension gifts are for equipping others. The best way to be equipped for a ministry is to learn off someone who is further on, as Elisha learnt his ministry by following Elijah. An elder is just someone who has been serving Jesus a little bit longer, so new Christians should attempt to start where they left off. Elders should desire to see those who follow them go further than they have.
The elders of a church must have balanced giftings.
Each elder will have one of the ascension giftings and all of these ministries should be represented in the eldership of the Church. One of the elders will be a prophet. One will be an evangelist. Several will be pastor-teachers. Some will need the giftings to be sent out as Apostles. All these ministries must be functioning together in unity for a Church to grow to maturity and unity.
Every Church must have one elder who is willing to ask the tough questions and ensure that there is an emphasis on holiness (prophet). Every Church needs an elder who has a passion for the lost and a gifting for sharing the gospel (evangelist). A Church also needs elders who can help new Christians grow to maturity and ensure that all members remain united (pastor-teacher). Every church needs at least one elder who is outward looking and adventurous (apostle).
A Church without a prophet is like a body with only one leg. A Church without an evangelist is like body with one arm. A Church without several pastor-teachers is like a body with no heart. A church without an apostle will become inward looking. If any of these giftings are missing from a Church, it will be unbalanced.
The ascension gifting do not relate together naturally. This creates a problem, because people with different giftings and personalities often do not get on well together. Most leaders find it easier to work with people like themselves. The strength of balanced leadership comes through elders committing to work with people they would not normally get on with.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 outlines a set of attitudes enables people with different personalities and giftings to work together. Elders who love each other will be willing to submit to each other. This is the key to their unity. Submission is hard to people who seeking power and control. Submission is only possible for people who love each other. Love is not easy, but if elders cannot love one another, they cannot expect Church members to do so. Commitment to love at the top will spread love throughout the body.
The best example of this unity is the Trinity. The Father said about the Son, "Listen to him". However, Jesus said he could only do what he saw the Father doing. He also said it was better for him to go away, so that the Spirit could come, but when the Spirit came, he gave glory to Jesus. Each member of the Trinity has absolute freedom and authority to exercise their perfect ministry. Yet each one honours and submits to the others. No one is in control. The Trinity demonstrates how three persons bound together by love can work together shared leadership.
To manifest the full glory of the Trinity, the church must have shared and balanced leadership. A church will be strong, when it is lead by a team of pastors, prophets and evangelist who are one, just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one. They will be united by submitting to each other. Their submission will be powered by love.
Balanced leadership requires elders with diverse gifting to submit to each other in love. When love and submission are absent, one person tends to take control and dominates the others, or the leadership is paralysed by mistrust, division and bickering.
Ephesians 4 is not a description of high level ministries or an organisational structure; it is a description of how elders with complementary, but conflicting gifts can work together to strengthen the body of Christ. Paul was not concerned about giving status to church leaders, but ensuring that every Church has a balanced eldership.
One person cannot be Jesus. It takes at least four elders with different giftings to fully represent Jesus and accomplish his ministry.
The principle of plurality of leadership is basic to the New Testament. Each church should be led by a team of elders (Acts 14:23). The minimum number would be three or four. A Church will be led by a group of elders working together.
The elders would all agree to submit to each other. None of the elders will make an important decision without the concurrence of the others. They will each give the others permission to speak into their lives to provide correction. All important decisions for the church will require a consensus among the elders. This principle of plurality of eldership provides covering and protection for the church. There will not be one elder who stands above the others. Having one leader at the top is both dangerous and unbiblical.
An example of this structure is found in the Church of Antioch, one of the most successful Churches in the New Testament. Luke tells us that in Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul (Acts 13:1). That is, there were five elders who led the Church together. There is no suggestion that one of these elders was the overall leader.
According to Acts 14:22,23, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in every place where there was a group of disciples. This was all that was needed to make a group of disciples into a Church. Nothing more was needed. They never appointed a single pastor to take charge.
The number of elders in a church will be limited by their ability to have strong relationships with each other. Even though they have different ministries, they must have strong relationships with each other. Maintaining these relationships will be almost impossible if there are more than about five leaders. (They will also be maintaining relationships with six or seven people whom they are discipling.) One person cannot relate in this way to more than about twelve people. Therefore if the number of elders increases to more than about five or six, the relationships between them will weaken and the covering will be broken and the strength will be lost. The chinks in the relationships will allow evil to get in.
Plurality of leadership has not been taken seriously by the church. It has long been normal in the church to have one person, usually a pastor, as leader. Even churches with elders will have a senior elder or pastor. The common cry in the church is "We need a pastor" or "We need a leader". However, this desire for one man to lead is a consequence of the fall. Sinful people have a tendency towards slavery and domination (1 Samuel 8:6-9), but those who have been redeemed should have the same mindset.
The best example of this leadership style is the Trinity. The Father said about the Son, "Listen to him". However, Jesus said he could only do what he saw the Father doing. He also said it was better for him to go away, so that the Spirit could come; but the Spirit, when he came, gave glory to Jesus. Each of the members of the Trinity have absolute freedom and authority to exercise their perfect ministry. Yet each one honours and submits to the others. No one is in control. They demonstrate perfectly how three persons bound together by love can work together in perfect unity.
New Testament churches are led by elders.
Elders as apostles
Some elders are apostles. The apostle John saw himself as an elder (2 John 1; 3 John 1). The apostle Peter also called himself an elder (1 Pet 1:1; 5:1).
Elders are prophets
Some elders are prophets. Judas and elders were elders in the church in Jerusalem, they were also prophets.
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers (Acts 15:22,32).
One of the elders who prayed for Timothy was quite likely a prophet.
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you (1 Tim 4:14).
There were prophets among the elders of the church in Antioch.
In the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul (Acts 13:1)
Elders as pastor-teachers
Most elders will be pastors-teachers. There were teachers among the elders at Antioch. Paul referred to elders who work at teaching.
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is... teaching (1 Tim 5:17).
He also said that elders must be able to teach.
Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach (1 Tim 3:2).
Peter described elders who are also pastors (shepherds).
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers. (1 Pet 1:1,2).
Paul challenged the elders at Ephesus to shepherd the church of God.
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church… Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood (Acts 20:17,28).
Elders as evangelists
Some elders are evangelists. Paul spoke about elders who specialise in preaching.
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching
... (1 Tim 5:17).
The most obvious way to understand the role of the ascension gifts is to read what the scriptures say they are given for. Their purpose is fully described in the following verses:
to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ (Eph 4:12-15).
The tasks described in this passage are:
This is all grass roots stuff that all mature Christians should be expected to do. There is nothing special about these tasks. They are all things that the elders of a church would normally do. This explains the place of the gifts described in Eph 4:11. They are different types of people who operate in a different way when undertaking the eldership role of overseeing and strengthening the body of Jesus.
The giftings described in Ephesians 4 are observable in the business world. A business will often be started by one person with boldness and zeal, but to keep going long term it needs four different types of leadership. The business founder (apostle) will be keen to more on to breaking into new markets and launching new products. “Don’t worry about the details we will sort that out later”. They need an accountant/legal type (prophet) to sort out the details and keep them from crossing boundaries. To grow rapidly, they will need someone to do the marketing/sales (evangelist). They also need someone to do the HR/people management stuff that the business founder cannot be bothered about.
The problem in the business world is that the Christian concept of loving one another is not natural. Accordingly, one of the giftings will tend to dominate the others. Unbalanced leadership is a common cause of business failure.
Some workplaces have used the DISC profile for personal development stuff. It puts people into four categories. There are other versions using dog breeds, etc, that are similar. I have always been intrigued by they way these categories parallel the ascension gifts.
These are categories illustrate diversity of giftings and show how a leadership team needs to be well balanced.
I have also observed that some secular organisations are better than Churches at harnessing the creative energies that emerge when these very different personalities work together in a team. They have made very effective use of the ascension giftings. Churches tend to put one person in charge, and everyone has to dance to his tune. Real growth comes when very different leaders can work together, because they have committed to love each other.
These gifts can often be seen amongst children. Some children watch over other children naturally. Some are gifted to be apostolic. They love going out to new things. Some children are passionate about fairness. Others really enjoy meeting new children.
Gifts for the World
Many Christians just read over Eph 4:8, assuming that these verses are one of Paul’s funny allusions that do not matter. However, he put these words there for a reason, so understanding them will help us to understand his teaching. Eph 4:8 is a quote from Psalm 68:12, which describes the arrival of a new king after a decisive victory.
When he ascended on high,
Everyone gives him gifts, even those who are his enemies. Paul gives this passage a twist. The normal practice is to give gifts to a new king, but when Jesus ascended, as king, he gave gifts the people of the world. The gift Jesus gave to the world are the people that he raised with him. These are not the usual courtiers of a king, who would come and control them on the King’s behalf. They are given to serve the world by becoming part of a body that will bring the life of Jesus to the world.
he took many captives
and gave gifts to people (Eph 4:8)
Teaching has Changed
The desire to see teaching as a separate gift also arises from a false understanding of what the New Testament means by "teaching". We mostly think of teaching as a transfer of information and skills. Modern teaching is usually a process whereby an expert passes on information to a group of students. They are quite free to ignore what is taught.
For the early Christians teaching was something quite different. They saw it as an activity involving personal direction and an exercise of authority. It took place within a relationship where the teacher had authority over the student. A student would submit himself to a teacher, whose lifestyle he admired. His aim would be to learn the way of life, and the truths which underlay it. So a teacher did not just give his views. He laid out what he expected the student to believe, and the way he expected him to live. So teaching in the New Testament was more like what we call "discipling". It included the formation of character.
We can see this in the way that Jesus taught his twelve disciples. He did not just impart information to them. By living in close proximity with them for three years, he developed a strong relationship with them. They submitted to Jesus and carried out all his instructions. He had complete authority over them. In this way he formed their lives into a likeness of his own. And throughout the New Testament, teaching takes place within a similar pastoral relationship.
In Eph 4, "pastor and teacher" is one gifting. Every elder who teaches should be pastoring, and every elder who pastors should be teaching (1 Timothy 3:2).
